3 1/2 weeks

It has been 3 1/2 weeks since the night we arrived home with the kids forever! I didn’t intend to go so long without writing. In fact, I hoped to stay current for those of you following our story. However, just as it hasn’t been the case in the past, I don’t seeing it be a reality now either. Still, I can give an overview and it will save you and I both lots of time.

We were so thankful to have Chris’ mom stay on several days after we arrived home. Also, she deserved to finally get to meet the kids after coming such a long way to help us in the process of bringing them home! Our home was never tidier…and probably never will be again, but I enjoyed it while it lasted. I think she enjoyed experiencing our Kiev life more this time than when she, Dad B, and Grandma H visited for a short time in the past. It also probably made her happier than ever to return to the US of A. (Despite the friends I’ve made in Ukraine I feel the same way.)

We jumped right in with Chris needing to go to work the very next day. Mom and I navigated all the new…everything surrounding the kids being part of a new family. We needed lots of Google Translating, motions, and being led by the hand to show what words meant.

The paperwork wasn’t complete upon arriving in Kiev. We still had many hoops to jump through to complete the process for USA immigration visas. It took us three extra weeks, but I think it is because we weren’t “desperate” to go home to the USA. We were already home and had tons going on with Adeline, Ellie, and Aiden finishing up the school year the following week; end of year program, track meet, friends hosting my kids before we parted ways over the summer, etc. All of this with Chris working lots and adjusting to three new children too (and them to us, of course).